conveese



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

F. B. CONVERSE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN INSTRUMENTS FOR RIPPING SUTURES IN CLOTH.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent .No. 48,662, dated July 11,1865.

had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, inwhich Figure l represents an implement made according to my invention,Fig. 2, a cross-section on the line g/ ot' Fig. l.

Similar letters ot reference indicate like parts. p

The object of this invention is to`provide an implement by means ofwhich seams oi' sewing in cloth and other material can be readily rippedwithout cutting the material itself, and applicable both to hand andsewing-machine work.

O is a cutting-blade, set in a socket which is made lengthwise of asuitable stock, B. This stockis conical in its form, its apex being theterminal point ot' the implement and its base being united to a handle,A, of any suitableV shape. The blade O in this example ot'my inventionis fixed, and is of equal length with the stock B, and projects beyondits periphery an equal distance throughout its length; but it may bemade movable or adjustable in its socket, so as to protrude more orless, accord ing to the character of' the seams to be cut or the natureot the material in which the same exist. It may be also of convex shape,instead of being made with a straight edge, as here shown, or it may beconcave. The body ofthe stock'may also be varied from a conical formwithout departing from the principle of my invention, so long as thestock extends on each side of the cutting-blade, so as to distend thecloth or other material on each side ot' the seam.

The manner of using my invention is to press the ripping implementtoward the senin to be ripped,when the sides of the stock B will distendthe material and expose the threads ot' the seam to the cutting-blade,which will cut Vthem without any injury to the cloth or other materialin which the seam exists..

My invention will be found useful in ripping nearly every kind of seamand for removing trimmings and bindings. The thinnest cambric or theheaviest beaver-cloth, as well as seams made in leather, can be operatedon with facility.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The implement forripping seams herein shown, constructed substantially as abovedescribed.

F. B. CONVERSE. Vitnesses:

WM. F. MCNAMARA, M. M. LIVINGSTON.

